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Is my Power Steering Pump going out?

22K views 20 replies 9 participants last post by  Anteeke 
#1 ·
Last week all of the sudden it's become really difficult to turn the steering wheel in situations such as parking. It only happens in those super low rpm situations, once i get going its just like it always is. I've only ever driven one vehicle that didn't have power anything, and it sort of reminds me of that.. because I have to muscle it when parking/backing up or else i just go straight. So is my pump gonna go do you think?
 
#6 ·
usually long before the car becomes impossible to steer you will hear a whining sound ... almost like something dragging on your tire. The whine usually means pump, this seems weird if it happened "all of a sudden." rail any potholes lately? or did you just lower your car lol?

If it fails it just gets real hard to steer at low speed. You can either get it fixed or just drain the fluid and go power steeringless :)
 
#7 ·
usually long before the car becomes impossible to steer you will hear a whining sound ... almost like something dragging on your tire. The whine usually means pump, this seems weird if it happened "all of a sudden." rail any potholes lately? or did you just lower your car lol?

If it fails it just gets real hard to steer at low speed. You can either get it fixed or just drain the fluid and go power steeringless :)
You, my friend, are scaring me. i just lowered my car, and have railed alot of potholes lately(trenton salted roads suck) and last week my car just started making a whining noise(like my altonator or power steering pump is working extra hard) and the noise gets louder as my rpms increase... anyone have any advice or answers for me?
 
#9 ·
okay cool... im just happy its nothing affecting my power, since the 27th is track day!
 
#10 ·
Well i wish i had just lowered my car, but unfortunately thats not the case.....one day....

I talked with one of my friends who's way into Vdubs, and he said I could go either way, just delete the power steering or replace the pump and neither are difficult to do.
 
#11 ·
I'm in the same boat new to the site Lowered my 00 1.8 two years ago, my car used to be just difficult to steer when starting/going slow now it's gradually more all the time. Fluid level is not going down at all, so I'm not thinking it's a leak in the rack. No whining but i hope it's the pump. Could it be the belt even though it's not squeaking?
 
#15 ·
Might want to get yourself a copy of the FSM for your car. If your sig is correct and you have a 01 SE, then it is along the high pressure line on the near the rack. The only way to check it is to pull the ECU harness and use a voltmeter to see the values when the car is running and you need to turn it lock to lock.

Here's a link to the FSM: www.nicoclub.com/fsm

Does this happen when you turn on your AC at idle? If it does, then it's most likely the IACV.
 
#16 ·
Thanks for the info, ill check the switch this Sunday. The car was a GXE but someone swapped out the engine for a 2.0.

My AC hasn't worked in years but if I do turn it on, the idle drops slightly but returns to normal. What are the tell tale signs IACV needs to be replaced
 
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